A year ago, the Yankees played 11 games before making their first regular-season roster move. The year before that, it was nine games. And the year before that, also nine games.

This year, they lasted four games.

Phil Hughes will be activated from the disabled list this afternoon. It’s one of those rare moments when a player coming off the DL earlier than expected isn’t necessarily good news. It’s not necessarily bad news – Hughes is healthy, was just expected to get one more tune up — but the move has more to do with an overworked pitching staff than overwhelmingly dominant pitcher. Might have been nice to see Hughes face some upper-level competition, but the Yankees would rather take a chance on him being ready than take a chance on their bullpen being depleted.

So Hughes will be in Detroit today, pitching in the same stadium where he threw his only nine-inning complete game; the same stadium where he has a career 2.78 ERA; the same stadium where a stiff back limited him to just three innings in last year’s ALCS.

Getting someone off the DL is better than putting someone on, so this would seem to be — finally — a step in the right direction for the Yankees. Maybe not under ideal circumstances, but the Yankees are adding someone they’ve been missing.

And as a bit of bonus weirdness for today’s game: There’s a solid chance Francisco Cervelli will be the backup infielder!